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Police said they've been investigating at least 10 cases since Monday in Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge, Clarksville and Woodbine.

In each case, police said someone kicked in a locked door to get inside to steal jewelry, electronics and cash. Police said in many of the cases, they believe the culprit knocked on the doors first to see if anyone was home.

Ellicott City burglary victim Chris, who did not wish to give his last name, said what happened to him and a number of his neighbors just doesn't make sense.

He said Monday he returned home at around 2 p.m. to find the back door of his home kicked in and a number of valuables inside stolen, including his tickets to the Thursday night Ravens game.

"They just got some coins and they were looking for jewelry and things like that, so that's really all I know. They got Ravens tickets, too," Chris said.

Chris' home break-in is one of about a dozen that police are looking into that have occurred since Monday.

Police are urging residents to be aware and report any suspicious activity in their communities.

"He is knocking on doors to see if residents are home. When he finds a resident at home, he asks for someone who doesn't live there and then quickly leaves," Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.

Police said they believe that all of the break-ins are related and are most likely being committed by the same person.

Authorities said they almost got a huge break in the case after the man was spotted by a 13-year-old boy.

"A 13-year-old boy was at home when he heard someone knocking loudly at the front door. He didn't answer and soon after the door was kicked in, when the suspect realized that someone was inside the house he ran away quickly," Llewellyn said.

Residents should be sure to lock their doors at all times, with dead bolts if possible, and to keep valuables in an unexpected place so they're not easy for burglars to find.

The cases that are believed to be linked happened in the following areas:

In Columbia: The 5000 block of Amesbury Drive and 10200 block of Clarksville Pike.5600 block of Trotter Road in Clarksville5900 block of Meadow Rose in Elkridge3500 block of Hipsley Mill Road in Woodbine